Lake Region High coach arrested for lewd conduct

Thursday, January 24, 2008

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Fred Standifer Jr. victimized two of the girls on the basketball team he coached at Lake Region High.

WINTER HAVEN (Bay News 9) -- Polk County Sheriff's arrested Fred Standifer Jr., the assistant coach for the Lake Region High girls junior varsity basketball team, on charges of battery, solicitation of sexual battery on a victim under 18, lewd conduct and false imprisonment Wednesday.

The sheriff's investigation revealed Standifer, 48, victimized two of the girls on the basketball team.

"Here is another pathetic and disgusting example of how a person in a position of trust and authority has used that position to victimize our youth," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. "We commend these girls for having the courage to come forward and report Fred Standifer's despicable acts, and we encourage parents to continue to educate their children to always report incidents of this nature.

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"This predator lured one of these young girls into a room, locked the door and committed lewd acts on her, and he deserves to go to prison for a long, long time."

Standifer is being booked into the Polk County Jail this evening, where he will remain on no bond until a first appearance hearing Thursday.